Cavan Sullivan's rapid rise has reached the international stage.
The 16-year-old Philadelphia Union midfielder was named to Mauricio Pochettino's starting XI for Saturday's friendly against Peru at Orlando City's Inter.co Stadium, making his senior US men's national team debut.
At 16 years, 363 days, Sullivan becomes the fourth-youngest player in the modern era to debut for the USMNT, adding another milestone to a career that's already featured its share of them.
Breakout season
Sullivan's first senior call-up comes amid a remarkable stretch of form for both player and club.Â
A breakout run since the FIFA World Cup break has helped Sullivan reach 7g/12a in 24 MLS appearances this season, including a goal contribution in eight straight matches – the longest such streak by a teenager in league history.Â
He's been at the heart of Philadelphia's dramatic turnaround, with the Union going unbeaten in 11 straight matches to climb from the bottom of the Eastern Conference into the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs places.
Saturday represents the latest step in that progression, and an opportunity for Sullivan to show how his club form translates to the international level.
Sullivan starts in midfield alongside a considerably more experienced group that includes Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna and Malik Tillman as the USMNT begins its first international window of the new 2030 World Cup cycle.
